Chasing dreams
by Lafenna
Summary: In a country recovering from war, with battles still fought behind the scenes, a boy sets out on his journey. Armed with naïve ideals he comes dangerously close to following in a criminal's footsteps as he just wants his voice to be heard.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Pokémon universe, I do however own my crew of Original Characters.**

_"One doesn't live solely for one purpose, humanity is capably of everything. And that thought, that one can do everything scares us into choosing just one goal and pursuing that until the very end."_

Harrold Eversee, writer of 'A look into humanity's mind'

**Chapter One**

**Man's goals.**

A soft voice flowed through the radio as a woman sang, static marring the peaceful song until it ended, as it was replaced by the heavier beat of rap.

"Po-po-po-pokémon-po-po-pokémon" a young girl with blonde pigtails sang happily, bouncing along to the beat.

"Daphne!" her older brother admonished, his dirty blonde curls falling haphazardly in front of his dull green eyes, "finish eating your cereal or I'll tell mom on you!"

"You won't!" the girl cried out, her eyes wide as the song on the radio was forgotten "You're a tattle-tale Dave!" The young girl's cheeks puffed up as she glared at her brother, who just grinned.

"Daphne-Dear," a different voice came from the other side of the room as a middle-aged woman walked in, her hair the same as her son's and a smile on her lips but her eyes weary and tired, bags under them "Just eat will you? It's an important day, remember what it is?"

"Yes! Yes!" Daphne chimed as she waved her spoon around, bits of cereal flying around "Dave is _finally _going away! And _I'll _get **all **his stuff!"

"No you won't!" Dave bit back in mock anger, his eyes shining merrily as he ruffled his younger sister's hair, which earned him a squeak and a swat with her spoon.

"Hush now, David, eat your breakfast and Daphne, you too."

"Yes mom," both children replied obediently as they understood the finality in their mother's voice.

The woman just grinned, displaying straight white teeth and dimples, another thing her children got from her, and shook her head. If it wasn't for their looks no-one would believe they were hers, their father, her husband, had died years ago when Daphne wasn't even born. He was a good man, she thought as pride swelled in her heart, they shared a short time together but she had loved him immensely and saw him in both of her children, _their _children. She smiled as she remembered her husband's antics, always wrestling in the mud with his pokémon. They all died at the same time, fighting for their country as soldiers in the army.

"Mom?" her eldest asked softly as concern laced his voice, still not completely broken by puberty, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine David, thank you for asking dear," she responded kindly, dimples showing as she smiled at him but her eyes didn't laugh, they stayed frozen pools of water.

He just grinned back hesitantly, teeth showing as his curls obscured her view of his eyes again. If she could see his eyes she would know he wasn't fooled by her charade, they were doubtful. But he truly was a good kid, he never complained when helping and only drew the line at washing his sister. When she was a baby it was fine, but now 'she's too old for that, and too annoying!' He even cooked, did the dishes and cleaned when she herself couldn't. Really, he was everything a mother wanted her child to be, without asking, his eyes would just shine all-knowingly as he smiled at her before ushering her to the couch as he just stated "I'll make dinner tonight, you sit and rest down mom."

And today he was leaving, going on some God-forsaken journey across the land, her baby-boy, all alone with creepy old men, kidnappers, criminals and God-knows-what. She felt sick by just thinking of it, but he was fourteen now he'd say, old enough to go on his own. And besides, he'd add with that goofy grin of his 'Am I not responsible enough?'. Gods, he was her first child and today he'd leave and-

Her mind's voice was stopped in its tracks as she felt arms encircle her neck as her son hugged her, mumbling for her not to cry and that everything would be fine whilst patting her back.

"I'll be alright mom, I'm going to get a good, reliable pokémon and together we will keep each other safe," he said softly as he hugged his mother close, feeling tears on his shoulder as her frame shook with silent sobs.

"Mommy?" Daphne whispered softly as she climbed off of her seat, walking towards her mother as she too hugged her, "I'll still be here, and I'll help too! I'll .. I'll cook and clean and do _everything _David does too!" she said with a determined glint in her eyes, desperate to stop her mother from crying.

"Oh dears," their mother whispered as she smiled lightly, the smile not reaching her eyes "we better get going, or Dave will be late."

David just grinned as he patted his mother's head before trotting of to his and his sister's shared room, their apartment wasn't that big, to get his backpack and check if it still held all the necessary items he'd need.

David had been saving money for years now, ever since the War getting a trainer's licence was expensive, _very _expensive. It started about ten years ago, David had been only four at that time, when a young girl named Green started her journey in Kanto. She was a very skilled trainer and at age twelve had defeated all eight Gyms there, but she had a view on things that differed from everyone else's so no-one ever listened to her. Her shouts grew desperate and then silent, the girl chose another way to be heard. Violence. She started attacking people, places and pokémon until she would be heard. But she wasn't, but those few that actually did listen found themselves hypnotised by her voice and ideals as they followed her. Together they formed The Opposition and started murdering people in Kanto and Sinnoh, the army and every trainer above the age of 15 was sent to fight and many perished. Here, in Hoenn, 8 out of 10 children have lost a parent, most of the time their dads, and in some cases both parents.

At David's sixth birthday his father died, together with his unit and pokémon. His mother was heavily pregnant at the time and never really recovered from the shock, you wouldn't say but she was fragile in her mind, _very_fragile at times.

Green disappeared about three months after David's father's death, as the rest of The Opposition, and the world started to heal. Sinnoh, Kanto and Hoenn were the worst, orphans, material damage and a loss of faith in trainers. It had taken years for that trust to heal enough for one-sixth of the original amount of trainers to be currently out in the wild. The license price didn't help either, people didn't want more children like Green so they set a line. Pay the price or stay home. Owning a pokémon without a license became illegal and less eleven-year-olds set out every year, now only the richest could afford their younger kids to go and the older always worked for years to go. David was one of them.

He had been doing odd jobs since he was eight, newspaper rounds, babysitting, cleaning, doing errands. He did it all, never once complaining because it was the way of life now. Almost all kids his age did the same, there was no other option.

He grinned as he caught his reflection in his sister's pink mirror, grinning back at him. He truly was lucky, one of his friends, 16-year-old Cole wasn't as lucky as him. Cole worked his arse off at the docks to provide for his mentally-unstable mother, she went crazy after Cole' s father died and Cole was now her caretaker instead of her son. All his hard-earned money went to her medication, the rent and food. But Cole would just laugh and say it's nothing, he'd pat David's back and tell him not to worry 'cause he's fine. But Cole wasn't always nice, he once stole a pokèball from a shipment he was to carry to the warehouses and caught a pokémon, a Poochyena, Zacharias. He kept him hidden but no-one here would rat him out, everyone knew Cole and knew he deserved Zacharias.

David just shook his head and made a mental note to remember every day just how lucky he was, having Daphne to care for his mother when he'd be gone, out, on adventures like his dad once did. He wish he could remember his dad, but he couldn't. He only knew him from the photographs scattered around their tiny home and the stories his mother would tell when she was clear in her mind. But he knew his dad was a hero, as was Cole's, and Gina's mom, and Joshua's parents. They all died for Hoenn, and to David that was the ultimate way of showing your love for your country.

David shouldered his backpack with determination, a grimace on his face as he grabbed the only things he had from his dad. His coat and his diary, dating from his own journey to his time in the army. He'd never read it, but wanted to when he himself was on his journey, so David wrapped it in a towel and placed it gingerly in his bag.

He walked back to the kitchen/dining room combination, his sneakers making soft sounds against the wooden floor as he took in his home for the last time. He touched the picture of his father, smiling, with his mother and a Tailow perched on his shoulder as they all seemed so happy. That was before the war, before he was even born, and he made another silent promise to make him, his father, proud.

He walked into the room and saw his sister bouncing, pigtails bobbing up and down in sync with her body as she grinned, showing some gaps were tooth had been lost.

"Dave! Dave! Mom said I could go with you to the center!" the eight-year-old exclaimed as she grabbed his hand, her earlier anger at him completely forgotten as his mother nodded at him, tears still in the corner of her eyes.

"It's okay Dave, taker her with you .. and call remember? Every night, if you don't .. I'll call a search and rescue squad."

David grinned at his mother as he nodded his head, "Every night," he promised solemnly.

Then he grabbed his wallet and stuffed it in the pocket of his father's, _his, _coat as well as kissing his mother on her forehead as he gripped his sister's hand tighter, refusing to cry. He walked towards the door with big strides, Daphne struggling to keep up as she waved enthusiastically to her mother. David stopped on the doorstep, raising his hand to wave to his mother before pulling Daphne with him and closing the door, putting the first chapter of his life to an end and starting a new one.

One where he too would travel across the vast land of Hoenn, meeting pokémon and people, making his parents proud and showing whoever would look that trainers weren't all that bad anymore.

As he walked down the stairs on the left side of his boring, grey apartment building he chatted softly with Daphne, talking about everything and nothing as he tried to ease his nerves, for the first time in his life he, David Anthony Owens, was truly scared of something. He could feel his hand grasping his sister's even tighter as his knees shook lightly. Daphne looked at him in worry, her blue-grey eyes staring at him for a moment before she saved the day by distracting him again. Asking him about what pokémon he'd catch and other things he had already told her a million times, one more didn't hurt.

He waved at some people on the streets, all of them knowing he was leaving today and some of them shouting "Good luck!"

Others just nodded and smiled, Cole walked over when he saw him and patted his back before ruffling his hair.

"One day kiddo, I'm going out there too and Imma kick your ass," he smiled softly after that "But good luck mate, call me once in a while to tell me about your progress or I'll send Zach after you."

Dave just nodded as he watched the older boy walk away, Cole was, in a way, his (and the rest of the neighbourhood's) older brother.

After fifteen minutes of walking and insignificant chatter with Daphne they arrived at the center of Slateport City, it was the second biggest city of Hoenn, second only to Lilycove. You could see the change because the buildings became lower and bigger, more green was visible and you saw pokémon with their trainers walking. Most of the people still gave them a wide berth, but David didn't notice that as he stared at the big red-and-white building in front of him.

The pokécenter.

Every city had one, it was a safe haven for trainers and pokémon and you could sleep there for free, get your pokémon healed and register yourself and many more things. David had only been inside once, and that was years ago.

As he and Daphne entered through the blue sliding doors they marvelled at its elegance, they had entered the stylishly decorated lobby where tables and chairs, each with plants on them, were scattered throughout the spacious room. Some trainers looked up when they walked in and smiled politely before going back to their conversations, most of them lounging on big white couches or standing next to the counter where a Nurse Joy was smiling and talking to a young girl.

David and Daphne shuffled forward, some trainers looked at them again when they noticed them going towards the counter as they talked in hushed voices if he was going to be one of them too.

"Hello dear," the Nurse Joy said in a friendly voice as she noticed David fumbling with his coat "Can I help you?"

"Err, yes please," David answered as he grabbed his wallet with shaky fingers "I .. err, want a pokémon licence please."

It was silent for a few seconds that felt like hours before the trainers jumped from their respective couches and all went to stand around David.

"That's great! My name is Amber and I'm _sooo _glad to see another newbie working hard to have his own adventure!"

"Good choice mate, much more fun out here anyway!"

"What pokémon are you gonna catch? Should we help? I'm Robert and this is Minnie and we are-"

The shouting subsided as Nurse Joy raised a hand and smiled brilliantly, causing David to flush red.

"Fill in this form for me will you, dear? Then this herd of Tauros will without a doubt help you catch your first pokémon," David could see Nurse Joy's own eyes sparkling happily as she regarded the scene, all too happy to see another young boy defying the odds and spending his hard-earned money on something that once was so _common_.

He quickly filled in the necessities, his name, address, phone number, blood type, gender, and all such stuff while Daphne claimed the attention of the trainers standing around them by batting her eyes and saying she too would be a trainer when she grew up. That, of course, got her a whole fan club of her own as the girls all cooed at the eight-year-old and her cute antics. The boys just grinned and promised to help het catch the cutest pokémon when she'd leave in a few years.

As Dave handed the form back in he gave Nurse Joy his wallet, a heavy feeling in his stomach as she softly mumbled whilst counting the money. Money he worked so damned hard for, money that could have been spend differently. Money that was _his_.

Nurse Joy then handed him the standard stuff one got with a licence, two pokéballs, a map, a potion and, most importantly, the tiny plastic card with his name on it and all the other information he just filled in.

"Thank you," he whispered as he got his wallet back and placed the tiny card inside of it before putting it back in one of the pockets on his coat.

Nurse Joy just smiled back before saying the thing that got all trainers present worked up again, "Now help this young man catch his first pokémon will you? I'll make lunch for when you come back, now off you go!"

David and Daphne soon were ushered out by the trainers, all of them enthusiastic to show off their pokémon and abilities to a newbie. When they got on the streets again David saw first-hand how trainers were treated, people moved out of their way and some older men and women glared or just looked away. Younger children pointed and whispered, a small amount of people smiled or just didn't look distrustful of the group clogging up a big part of the sidewalk.

But David didn't care, those new people were quickly becoming friends and he had seventeen new numbers on his phone within twenty minutes of meeting them.

They walked for about thirty minutes, trading the busy city of Slateport for the rural look of route 110, leading to Mauville City. Here it was silent except for the louder noises of the docks that drifted along with the wind, but that too didn't sound as loud as it was when you were _inside _the city. Pokémon ducked away when they walked through the tall grass, some boldly sticking up their heads before disappearing again. A flock of Taillow flying overhead, chirping as they all gathered in one tree.

"Okay David," an older girl with brown curls said as she gestured at the tall grass "Any pokémon in mind?"

David nodded as he released Daphne's hand, "A Poochyena."

"Why?" a boy with pale blonde hair and glasses asked, a thin smile on his lips as he stared impassively at David.

"A friend of mine has one," David answered vaguely "And they are loyal, strong and smart."

The bespectacled boy nodded as his smile grew before pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose "Good reasons, you may borrow Althea, my Taillow, to battle one."

David smiled happily as the boy handed him a pokéball, David quickly threw it in the air to see what Althea looked like as the other trainers and his sister just watched, smiles on their faces.

"Wow," Dave breathed as he saw the bird-pokémon materializing from the red-and-white sphere in a burst of red light. Instead of the usual blue and red feathers this one had pale green feathers accented with orange, its belly stayed the same though, it was still white.

"She is shiny yes," the boy said with a strange glint in his grey eyes, pride in his voice as he smiled at his pokémon.

"Althea, you will aid David here in catching a Poochyena, do not fail him."

Althea chirped happily as she perched down on David's shoulder, instantly reminding him of the picture in his living room and the silent promise he made there. He would make his father proud.

The others said they'd wait for him there and that he would have to catch his Poochyena himself, David just nodded as he started his trek through the grass.

It took him some time but then he heard rustling next to him, David immediately turned to see what made the sound but was disappointed when he saw a Plusle shuffling away, sparks coming from its cheeks.

The grass got lower until it barely touched his shins, enabling him to easily spot the various pokémon living in it. And- There, baring its teeth at a Zigzagoon stood a Poochyena.

"Althea!" David whispered as he pointed at the Poochyena "Get it with a wing attack!"

The Taillow obeyed, her wings starting to glow a silvery colour as she stretched them out, shooting at the grey pokémon with amazing speed as she hit its side. The Poochyena wasted no time in retaliating, his jaws snapping shut on Althea's wings as he flung the bird to the ground with a sickening crunch.

"No!" David said as he saw the Taillow struggle, he couldn't let it get hurt, it wasn't even his!

The Poochyena ignored the boy's yell as he picked the bird up again and threw it against a bush, the pokémon falling limply to the side as he ran towards it. Intent on making it its breakfast.

Sadly enough, the Poochyena didn't see the shoe flying towards it, hitting him at the same place the blasted bird hit him just before. The Poochyena fell to the ground when a second shoe hit it, this time hitting its face, the sickening smell of feet and sweat protruded its nose as the shoe obscured his view, keeping him from seeing the round object flying straight at him.

Thankfully the other object didn't hit it, no, it surrounded him in a red light as he was sucked inside the wobbling sphere. It wobbled for a few tense seconds before it made a single 'ping' sound and the button on the center flashed up.

David couldn't believe his eyes, so he blinked. And stood still for a good minute before rushing up to get his pokéball, with _his _very own _pokémon_ inside of it! His eyes fell on Althea lying limply on the ground left of him and he quickly pocketed the ball as he ran towards her and delicately picked the knocked-out bird up before making his way back to the group.

But in his mind he replayed the situation from just minutes before continuously, still not believing that his own adventure _really _was going to start, today.

* * *

><p><strong>AN.**

**Chapter one, finally finished. I really enjoy writing stories, and I hope you, as the reader, enjoyed reading what came of that. If you, please leave a review.**  
><strong>This chapter is merely the beginning, I have everything planned and it will not be like the millions of stories that neatly follow the games. Boygirl, one of the three starters, super-epic-battle against criminal organisation, defeating champion, fin. And I will do everything I can to keep David from being a Gary Stu. Also, I know a Poochyena is overused but it has a reason, one that won't be known for quite some time, but it's also one of the few pokémon I can stand that fall in the category of 'common'. Can't have him running around with a Mewtwo now can we?**

**Please do review.**

**Also, please note that I do not speak and/or write English as my native language, Spellcheck can only do so much.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Pokémon universe, I do however own my crew of Original Characters.**

_"Experience life as it was meant to be, not as you wish it to be and you will succeed."  
><em>Quinn Harper, former Johto Champion.

**Chapter Two**

**Looking through one eye**

David jogged back towards the group of trainers waiting for him at the edge of the grass, eager to show off his newly caught Poochyena and get Althea back to her own trainer so she could be healed. The Taillow made soft, pitiful sounds ever so often if David moved faster than his jog, or stumbled over a rock (and, in one case, a Shroomish) and he got back to the group in less time than It took to get to where he found his Poochyena.

More trees came into view as the grass came up to his knees again, sure, David wasn't that tall so that didn't say that much. He paid little attention to the sign proclaiming 'The Opposition' in bold letters, red paint smeared on top of it in an attempt to erase the first message He could now see the group of trainers and his little sister behind some of the trees scattered across the grass.

He walked around the tree now blocking them from his view and whatever conversation they had been having fell silent, their eyes all aimed at him as they took in his shoeless appearance, the Taillow lying limply in his arms and the sheepish look on his face.

"Err .. I'm sorry about Althea .. but the Poochyena knocked her out .. " David mumbled as he flushed red again, this time in shame.

"It's fine," the boy with the glasses said curtly, lifting his pokémon from David's arms as he waited for the other boy to hand him her pokéball, which he did. He then clicked the sphere open as Althea disappeared in a flash of red light.

"And, did you catch it?" another girl, called Janet or Jane David recalled, demanded in a haughty voice.

"Yes, I did .. "

"Well then! Show us already, come one now, hurry up!" the girl exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air, her brown eyes glaring at David.

"Yes David, show us!" others said as they waited for the newbie to show them his first pokémon.

"M'kay .. " David mumbled, his face still red as he scratched his head before grabbing his Poochyena's pokéball from his pocket.

"Well .. err .. come on out?" he said hesitantly, throwing the ball in the air.

The red-and-white sphere broke open in mid-air, red light shooting straight at the ground below as a grey shape materialized in the middle of it, its shape still blurry. The light then faded away, leaving a growling Poochyena in its wake as the pokémon fixated its red eyes at the curly-haired trainer in front of him, the one that threw the shoes at him.

A series of short barks came from the tiny grey creature as he turned his head to fully face the one that dared to capture him.

And then, as David saw the face of _his _Poochyena did he freeze. Instead of two ruby-red eyes glaring at him there was only one, the right, while the left eye was a blue-white-ish colour that just screamed that something was off about it. The eye didn't even have a pupil, it was completely blank and unmoving as it stared straight ahead. And then there was the Poochyena's grey fur, coated in dirt and some red splotches that probably were bloodstains. Feathers and leaves were sticking out of hairier patches of fur he had where his tail began. The teeth that always were visible by Poochyena's were yellowing at the tips, overall he looked _nothing _like Cole's Poochyena. Zacharias was always neatly brushed, his teeth a nearly pristine white and his claws trimmed weekly. David wasn't the only one staring in confusion at his newly caught pokémon, but they weren't that surprised at the state of its fur. They just stared at the eye.

"He is blind," the boy with the glasses stated as he approached the pokémon, waving one hand in front of its eye which earned him a growl but no further reaction from the eye itself.

"Oh dear," the curly-haired girl said softly "you do know how to pick them David, what are you going to name him?"

"Name it Bigtooth! Or, Shadow! No, no, name it Mr. Fluffy!" Daphne exclaimed as she jumped up and down, pointing one finger at the pokémon.

"What about Ares?" came the bespectacled boy's suggestion as he pushed his glasses further up his nose again.

"Oh, I know one!" the girl whose name might just be Janet said in her high-pitched voice "Eduardo, or Romeo, or Sylvano or-"

"This isn't some romance novel Janice," an older boy with a mohawk sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest "Let David name his pokémon himself."

The girl humph-ed but remained silent, choosing to glare at the mohawk-sporting boy.

"How will he listen to whatever name I choose?" David asked, frowning at the Poochyena.

"Just call him that for a few days, make it _very _obvious you're talking to him, then it'll stick," Mohawk-boy explained as he smiled a friendly grin at David.

"Pollux," David decided as he looked at the Poochyena first and then the group surrounding him "I'm naming him Pollux."

"It's a fine name," came Mohawk's reply as he nodded before patting David good-naturedly on his shoulder.

"Hmmph," Janice snorted as she stared at David "Romeo sounds better."

"Pollux … " Daphne repeated as she furrowed her brow "but I can call him Fluffy, right?"

David nodded "Yes, sure, you can Daphne."

"Yay!" the girl exclaimed as she threw her arms around her older brother's waist "Dave, you're the best!"

The newly named Pollux just stared with his sole functioning eye at the human that named him, it wasn't so much the name that bothered him. Just the human. But, he decided as he bared his fangs in some sort of lazy grin, this could bring him across new, better prey. And food always comes first.

They walked back after that, the trainers trading stories of their travels. Some told of gym battles, others shamefully admitted only being a trainer for a day or two. They could feel their stomachs rumbling as they thought of the lunch Nurse Joy had made for them back at the pokécenter, breakfast suddenly feeling like that was ages ago.

Pollux trotted behind the group of humans, tail wagging from side to side in a bored fashion as he regarded the scenery. He had grown up here and knew every patch of grass. Grass made place for a well-worn dirt track leading back to the outskirts of the city, grey buildings taking up most of the skyline as the Poochyena regarded it with stoic indifference.

A Shroomish came to close to him and he snapped at it, a silent warning to any others not to come near him lest they risk becoming an early lunch. He was, contrary to what the prey here thought, not an outcast. He knew he could not see through his left eye, but it never bothered him. He sniffed the air again, starting to smell the disgusting smell of humans and their dens made of metal and stone.

David stole the occasional glance at _his _Poochyena, Pollux, as they walked. The others noticed but didn't pay attention to it, they all had done the same once. He couldn't help but notice how it's right eye seemed to be in constant movement, flickering from left to right as he turned his head every once in a while. His red nose had scrunched up the closer they came to Slateport's outskirts and his ears turned backwards ever so slightly. It was a funny sight, seeing the scruffy pokémon looking like he had to eat something disgusting, like carrots.

Daphne had wormed her way back to her brother's side as she grasped his hand again, looking at him with bright blue eyes and a one-hundred megawatt smile on her face as if trying to show him just how happy she was for _him_.

David looked down at her and couldn't help but grin back, homesickness immediately kicking in as he once again remembered how much he would be giving up. Another look at his new friends reminded him of what he'd gain in the process but a nasty voice in the back of his head whispered about how the rest of the world would treat him, they would jump to conclusions and-

David banished the voice to an imaginary trashcan as he mentally admonished himself for even _listening _to a _voice _in his _head_.

He looked up and saw that while he was listening to voices in his head they had entered the city again. Buildings towered over him, almost all of them either grey or white, as they contrasted against the bright-blue sky. People moved away again when they saw the group of trainers walking but David didn't care, he was too busy taking in the scenery for probably the last time.

People on bikes rode past them, nearly running over mohawk-guy in the process as he screamed something after them, and the familiar grey stones that made up the sidewalk held no comfort for him as he walked over them. It was all so familiar, the inside-out way Slateport City was built. High buildings on the outside, lower ones in the centre. He would miss the salty smell of the ocean just minutes away, the sound of the dock and the friends he had. He gripped his sister's hand tighter as he rose his chin in the air, he was a 14-year old boy and at that age you don't cry anymore, only babies and sad people cry.

"I'm going to miss it here," he whispered softly as he looked at the sky again, a flock of Wingull flying overhead.

"We all miss our homes, but it will get better with time."

"I'm from Mossdeep, haven't been home for seven months now," the boy with the glasses said as he seemed to stare off in space "I certainly missed home the first few weeks, but that feeling fades away when you focus on the important things, such as training your pokémon and researching your opponents."

"And of course, as Robert so nicely stated, you have to focus on the important stuff. But he forgot one, namely keeping clean," Janice said simply with a creepy smile on her face "Because it's, like, _so _dirty out here."

"And making friends!" the girl with the curly hair piped up, a bright smile on her face as she beamed at those around her.

"You are forgetting, 'staying alive' " dark-skinned boy said in a low voice, eyes downcast as he frowned "Remember what I told you about my cousin?"

People nodded and Janice paled as she frantically bobbed her head up and down.

"What about your cousin?" David asked, puzzled why the boy would mention that.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," the boy with the mohawk told him with a smile as he shot a glance at the dark-skinned boy.

David dismissed it with that, not really caring anyway as they stopped to walk through the sliding doors of the Pokécenter in pairs, they simply weren't big enough for them all to fit in in only one go.

The boy with the glasses, Robert, went in first. He immediately walked to the counter as he placed the pokéball containing Althea on it.

David followed quickly, sending a weary glance at Pollux before grabbing around for his pokéball. He found it in one of his pockets as he pressed the button to enlarge it before recalling the now-growling Poochyena in a beam of light.

"Hello dear," Nurse Joy greeted as David neared the counter, "How did it go?"

"Err .. well … I caught a Poochyena .. and named it Pollux" David's voice trailed off as he nervously looked around but at Nurse Joy's encouraging smile he continued "But he looks kind-of .. _worn _.. would you mind having a look at him?"

Nurse Joy's smile only intensified if it was possible, nearly _blinding _David and Robert as they were the nearest to it, "Of course not! Now dears, I left lunch on the table over there. It's sandwiches, I hope you like it!" She waved to a table at the back of the room as her eyes zeroed in on the sphere in David's hand.

With that Nurse Joy nearly grabbed the pokéball out of David's hand and added it to the tray that was already containing Althea's as she walked through two double doors with the word 'Infirmary' on them. David's jaw was wide as he stared after her, not getting why the pink-haired woman was as happy as she was with the possibility of injured pokémon.

"Come on David," Robert sighed as he closed David's mouth "lest you catch flies, she is like that whenever people bring in injured pokémon. They all are, you'll get used to it."

With that the blonde boy pushed his glasses up again before grabbing David's arm and dragging him to the table that already had the others seated around it on couches and chairs.

"Well then, eat up!" the curly-haired girl exclaimed as she grabbed one of the sandwiches and stuffed it in her mouth in one go.

"Alicia! Manners! God, is it _that _hard to act like a proper young lady?" Janice moaned as she glared at the other girl with a look of utter contempt.

"Quit whining Janice," the boy with the mohawk sighed as he shot Alicia a look that clearly said 'shut up' as she opened her mouth to retaliate.

The dark-skinned boy from earlier, the one that mentioned his cousin, was nibbling on a plastic bowl with salad in it while staring at the table with disinterest.

David just enjoyed it all, quickly forgetting any doubts still lingering in his mind as he happily ate and laughed with them. Daphne was all too happy to take over the spotlight from him, bouncing from chair to chair to trade stories or gossip about things, mostly David, while the others indulged her by paying her attention.

"What do you actually plan to do, David?" Alicia asked as she tucked away a stray curl behind her ear, her brown eyes sparkling with interest.

"Err .. just the gyms you know .. I don't like contest, they are too girly," David said, his nose scrunching up as he thought of the girly ribbons and stuff that came with contest.

David ignored the seething glare sent his way by Janice as she stood up, her chair nearly falling over.

"Oh joy," Robert whispered sarcastically as he eyes the girl with boredom "Another speech, listen carefully David, you're in for a treat."

"Why are contests too girly? Eh? They're not! You are just filthy, barbaric Neanderthals with no sense of culture, education or beauty in your empty minds! All you think about is battle this, battle that, while we, _girls, _try to bring some culture in this man-ruled world by the _artistic _moves we create as we prepare for our contest," the girl took a deep breath as she glared at everyone seated on the chairs, Alicia included, "All the while you dance around in your underwear, thinking the world is yours! Well it's not! If there weren't any girls you would be rolling around in your own filth all day and-"

"So you admit girls are only good for cleaning?" the dark-skinned boy said as he stared at Janice.

"Jack! How dare you!" she exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air and took on a dramatic pose "Us girls are good for all kind of stuff you uneducated boys can't, like-"

"Janice, dear, would you mind helping me clean the beds? No-one can fold as neatly as you can," Nurse Joy called as she walked through the double doors again, sending a wink at the group.

"Of course Nurse Joy, because apparently I am the _only one _good enough to do so," Janice said as she sashayed her way over to Nurse Joy, flicking her hair dramatically as they climbed the stairs to the first floor together.

"That's our resident feminist, but she isn't that smart."

"Damn right on that one," Jack mumbled as he put his now empty bowl of salad away "The girl is bloody mental!"

David just stared, uncertain on how to react before deciding on grinning.

This journey thing wasn't going to be that hard, he thought as his grin widened even more.

Oh how wrong he was.

* * *

><p><strong>AN.**

**Chapter two, slightly shorter than the first but .. well .. it's just shorter.**  
><strong>First of all a thank-you for those reading it all the way to this, you rock.<strong>  
><strong>Second, a special thank-you to japaneserockergirl for being the first (and only) person to review. I certainly hope to have lived up to your expectations and that you are happy with the amount of information and description. If not, I'll try again.<strong>

**Please do review, they keep me going and give me information on what I can do to improve, because there are lots of things that can.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Pokémon universe, I do however own my crew of Original Characters.**

_"Most people forget all about the evils in the world, just choosing not to look. When a trainer departs, full of hope and joy they always come back bitter and tired. Tired of facing the evils they never acknowledged. Life has no heroes, only villains."  
><em>Brianna Ackerwood, Pokémon Trainer.

**Chapter Three**

**The need to breathe**

David got Pollux back after just a few minutes after he finished his lunch, Nurse Joy had let her Chansey look him over while she was working upstairs with Janice and her Chansey deemed him fit for travel. Althea would have to stay some more time, she was fine was but tired. When Nurse Joy came downstairs she did tell him that Pollux's eye was incurable but that it was not necessary to remove it completely.

It was 2:23 when David felt like he needed to go, if he spent any more time at the Center he would forget his goal and go home, wasting his licence and all his hard work. So he said goodbye, promising to call and to visit.

He turned around to wave at the group one last time as he turned around before walking through the doors as they slid closed behind him.

"You're really going now aren't you, Dave?" Daphne asked softly as she stared at her brother with big eyes.

David nodded, "Yes .. or I won't go at all and that would be unfair to me, and Pollux."

"But not to me, and mommy… I'll miss you Dave, who will read me _Sentret and Pidgey_ when you're gone?" she asked with a pained voice as her face turned sad.

"Mom will, or ask miss Diane when she has time. Cole might even do it if you ask nicely."

"But they're not you!" Daphne whined as she gripped her brother's hand with ferocity, finally understanding just how close Dave's department was, and what it brought with it.

"I'll come back you know, I'm not going to disappear," David hushed as he smiled softly at her, "I'll just be away, but I promised I would call, remember?"

The little girl nodded as they neared the sign proclaiming 'Route 110' where David would leave, not for good but for a _long _time, from her young life.

"Don't tell mom this, it's a secret between just the two of us, but if I win some money I'll send it home, okay? You just have to say _you _earned it by helping around, you understand that?"

Daphne nodded solemnly as she understood what David meant, their mother would not want him to send them his own money. She never did like it when David worked, so it had to be kept a secret.

"Good," David grinned as he ruffled his sister's hair again and adjusted the straps of his backpack as he stared at her with affection, "I'm going now, you better get home before mom breaks down again. Remember to help her whenever you can and call me if it's urgent okay?"

Daphne nodded again as she felt him let go of her hand and saw him walking away, taking big strides as he forced himself to look forward.

After a few steps David turned around as he waved his hand a single time before saying "Bye, Daphne, be good okay?"

Then he walked further, not looking back so his little sister would not see him cry as ice cold needles protruded his heart. The pain of leaving his family nearly making him vomit as he forced his unwilling legs to carry him forward, away from his home and family.

Daphne just stood there, watching silently as her tiny frame shook with silent sobs. Her young brain never having grasped the meaning of being left alone, always thinking it was something temporary. But temporary merely meant 'not forever', it could take years, but David would return. One day. Maybe.

But now she just watched, watched him slip past the horizon with its trees and grass, watched him leave for his adventure. Watched him bravely walking away, not seeing his pain. And so she waved, to the empty route, as he disappeared from view, before walking back. Head held high, she was the oldest now, she had to be brave and strong now David was gone. Just temporary, she reminded herself as her tiny brain repeated the now familiar word, because he would come back.

David felt the painful needles in his heart slowly disappear as his conscience started berating him. _You selfish jerk, why did you leave? What if mom has a relapse? What if they leave the gas on? What if Daphne gets sick __**and **__mom has a relapse? What if-_

Stop it! He mentally shouted as he grasped his head with both hands, not wanting to doubt his choices. He knew he would fail if he did so, he had to be 100% behind himself or he'd go back home with his tail between his legs.

"Err.. Pollux come out?" David said awkwardly as he decided to let his poor Poochyena out, hoping its presence would distract him from his guilt and homesickness.

With another customary beam of red light shooting towards the ground the slightly less worn Poochyena materialised on the dirt.

He seemed to sniff the air for a few seconds before turning his two eyes, one glaring and the other unseeing, at David. His eyes narrowed considerably as he took in his _trainer _again, skinny and short. Wearing the very same shoes that got him in this situation in the first place. But the boy was now his responsibility, and he his.

"So uh .. Pollux .. I am David .. your trainer," David mumbled, stumbling over his words as he scratched his head, "And .. eh, we're probably heading towards eh .. Rustboru City I guess, there's the first Gym .. so .. that's it."

Pollux just stared at him with annoyance as the Poochyena barked before promptly walking away, either expecting David to follow or to let him leave.

David hurriedly walked after the tiny grey pokémon, surprised as to how fast he seemed to go, as he let his mind wander again.

He didn't pay attention to his surroundings as they passed the building leading to the Cycling Road, something he had no use for as he had no bike. It was merely the sloshy sound of foots getting stuck in the occasional muddy patch of soil and the constant padding of paws against more dense ground as Pollux seemed to evade them all. And he had only one eye.

The silence stretched out between them, neither human nor pokémon saying anything as they continued their silent trek. They silently passed the place where David caught Pollux hours before, not caring in the least.

"Eh … Pollux, let's stop for a moment," David said as he lowered himself to the grass before unstrapping his backpack as it too was laid down on the grass.

The Poochyena regarded him for a few tense seconds before gracelessly sitting down, one eye following David's every move as his head was turned towards the young boy, lips curled upwards in a silent snarl.

"So, err .. I kind-off want to say something .. " David trailed off as he heard a low rumble coming from Pollux, the sound mocking him. "I eh .. am new to this and all and so are you, probably, so we should .. err, work together?"

Pollux just stared his discomforting stare as the rumbling sound stopped, two lighter-grey ears turning ever-so-slightly towards him.

"And I, err, think we should train, you know, to eh .. get used to each other?"

A slight twitch of the eye told David that Pollux wasn't quite pleased with the answer, Zacharias had done that a lot with Cole when they first met.

"And so .. we can .. eh .. win battles?"

Another, less twitchy, twitch of the eye.

"So .. _you _.. can win battles?"

No twitch, ding-ding, correct answers, you win.

Another silence followed as David and Pollux stared at one another, the one awkwardly and the other without doing as much as moving one paw.

"I think we should get going again, I .. eh .. want to reach Mauville by tomorrow .. eh .. and maybe train some more?" David suggested as he scrambled up again and stretched his limbs before dusting off his pants.

Pollux shot up the moment David mentioned going, ears perked up and one eye getting a twisted gleam to it as he Poochyena sniffed the air before shooting away, leaving only rustled grass in its wake as it disappeared from view.

"Wait! Pollux!" David cried as he grabbed his backpack and ran after his pokémon, considerably slowed down thanks to the added weight on his back.

"Gull!" David heard coming from his left as he ran towards the cry, frightened by what he saw once he got there.

Pollux had a Wingull in his jaws, its body twitching every few seconds before hanging limply as Pollux carelessly threw it aside before raising his head to stare at his trainer with cool indifference, some blood on his muzzle.

_So, _his gleaming red eyes seemed to say to David, _**This **__is what happens in the real world, can you handle it or will you fall prey to it like so many others?_

David gulped as he forced his frozen limbs to move, tears threating to fall from his wide green eyes as his fists shook. A strangled sob came from his mouth as he saw his Poochyena staring at him with the same unreadable expression as before. On shaking knees David walked forward towards the dead bird, gingerly picking it up as some feathers drifted to the ground.

Pollux had killed it. Why? To prove a point? To show him his power? To prove his worth? No, it was something different, something David couldn't grasp as his mind tried to wind logic around it. Everything had to have reason, this had one too.

Another sob broke free as he stared at the lifeless body, he carefully laid it down as his fingers started digging through the wet soil. More sobs followed as the boy cried, just not getting _why_. Homesickness, fear and sadness all blending together to bring the always so calm boy to his knees as his hands continued digging a crude grave.

He eventually placed the Wingull in it before throwing the heaps of eart back on it. He added more earth to it, making it stand out from the rest of the place.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he wiped his tears away, the words spoken to the Wingull and himself.

"I'm sorry," he repeated again as he picked up his backpack again as his eyes hardened with the realisation.

That's why Robert wasn't that shocked when he returned with a wounded Althea, or the others when they saw her. That's why, because they already know. Pokémon die. Be it for food, training or an accident. To them it was another aspect of daily life, as common as doing the dishes.

He repeated I'm sorry in his head like a mantra, hoping that those words would ease the guilt that anchored itself to his mind. Hoping that it would put his heart at ease, it didn't.

He had seen dead pokémon before, but he never saw one die. He never knew that the difference would be so .. _different_. It had hit him like a ton of bricks, crushing him under its weight. He had pondered of the possibility of seeing a pokémon _die _but had shrugged it off, he would deal with that when the time came. But now, he found he could not. His heart ached as his conscious shouted at him. _You should have been there! You should have helped! He is a killer, YOU are a killer! Murderer!_

He continued walking, paying no attention to the rhythmic steps of Pollux behind him as he could feel the Poochyena's eyes staring a hole in the back of his head.

He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts he had, if this was how he felt when he saw an unknown pokémon die how would soldiers feel? Seeing their friends die, their lovers, their pokémon? It made some sense now why some veterans went crazy after returning from the war. He forced himself to make a promise to himself, he would not fall. Not to this, not to any other death. He wanted it, he fought for it, so he would stick with it. There were still younger trainers out there, if they could do this so could he.

David felt a funny sensation at his leg and looked down to see Pollux's tail brushing past it in some weird display of affection. Maybe it was a test, to see if he would break. Maybe he felt sorry. Either way, David didn't know why but it felt good. Gave him new courage.

"No m-more k-k-ii-lling, okay .. Pollux?" he asked, his voice sounding hoarse as he wiped his red and puffy eyes again, looking at Pollux with pain, "No m-m-o-re l-like t-t-t-oday, o-o-okay?"

The Poochyena in question turned his head to stare at him with both eyes, inclining his head ever so slightly in a nod before padding forwards again.

"I can do this," David whispered as he balled his hands into fists again, a faint but forced grin on his face as he stared at the sky.

They walked on for three more hours in complete silence, the only sound that of their footsteps against the ground as they walked through the ankle-high grass as the sun was blocked by the Cycling Road. They eventually passed a rundown-looking house with a sign in front of. David, knowing a potential paedophile-hideout when he saw one walked past it with hurried steps, not daring to look back. Pokémon darted through the grass as they heard them coming, their steps loud enough to hear from a distance in comparison to the silence on the route itself. David didn't care, his mind silently shoving the incident from earlier to a box, locking it and shoving it in the darkest part of his memory in an attempt to forget.

It didn't work completely but it was the best he could do. Pollux shot him some glances every now and then and even brushed his head against David's hand once in what David thought was an apology. It had lifted his spirits for a few minutes a basked in the feeling of affection coming from his pokémon. It felt nice, maybe this was how Cole felt with Zacharias. Like someone cared, someone else than your friends or family. He couldn't help but grinning, for one moment the lifeless body of the Wingull completely vanishing from his mind as he smiled a true smile. Knowing things could only get better from there on and that he and Pollux would be fine. Maybe this truly was a test, of fate. Thrown at them to see if they could overcome it and come out stronger, David though as his smile turned into a grin, and we passed it.

"We can do this," he said as he raised his fist into the air and uncurled his fingers, a few stray rays of sun shining at them from under the raised platform of the Cycling Road giving them an orange-y hue.

He smiled again, they really could, as he walked away. His heart feeling lighter, the Wingull's death feeling quite less haunting as he convinced himself that they _could_. As he breathed in the air again, he felt his spirits lift for one _tiny _second he was free and happy before crashing back to reality, believing he could take on _anything _fate threw at them.

Pollux just stared at his trainer with an odd mixture of pride, he had ran face-first into the hurdle but had crawled over it in the end. He truly did not care for the pitiful human, he only knew him for a few hours, but he was his. And a Poochyena takes care of what is his, otherwise they would not function as a pack. Pollux may not have been part of a pack for a long time but the urge to _care _was still there, ingrained in his DNA like the need to breathe. And the boy was pack, any other pokémon that the boy might _catch _in those silly devices would be pack. And even if he had to drag them through hell and back, he would take care of _his _pack.  
>Because he had to, just like he had to breathe.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN.**

**Chapter three, because David wanted attention too. I think it's quite heavy, but it had to be done. I don't believe in 'The power of friendship will save the world', never did, so this will be different. I don't think an Oddish will ****_just _faint when hit with a flamethrower. Just like a Raticate would not survive a body slam from a Snorlax or worse, a Wailord.**

**David had to face death. He just had to. Pokémon die, will die and he had to see one do so. He is just 14, this will haunt him for quite some time no matter how mature or calm he is. In my opinion it's still quite a calm reaction to seeing something die. I would freak out and run back home. Also, his false security of being able to handle it all after this is false, he will not. He has much to learn and go through but he will get stronger one day. Not now, not in two weeks, but one day. He will have to, I have much planned out for him.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading and please do review.**


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